Miami Upsets Michigan State 67-59
The sold-out student section stormed onto the court after the Miami Hurricanes upset the No 13 Michigan State Spartans 67-59.
“This is what college basketball is all about,” explained Coach Jim Larranaga about the hype in his post-game press conference, which was interrupted by a phone call from football head coach Al Golden. Everyone was excited.
The Miami Hurricanes were on fire, ignited by the intense crowd energy and the hype of a primetime, nationally televised game.
“Kudos to our fans, man, I think they really helped us come out on top. They was rocking,” said Reggie Johnson after the victory.
Johnson had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, all defensive. He made all six of his free throws.
This game was a true team effort as four players scored double digits and Miami beat Michigan State at the free throw line 16-18 compared to 5-11. This was an important key to the game according to Coach Larranaga. The other two keys were to prevent the five-second layup and keep Michigan State from offensive rebounds.
“I thought for the first time, maybe since I’ve been here that our defense was at the right level of execution,” said Larranaga.
Durand Scott led the team at the half with 11 points and scored a total of 15. Shane Larkin also scored 15 points and was 3-4 in three-point shots. Trey McKinney Jones led the team with 18 points and five baskets from behind the arc.
“I got to give all the credit to my teammates,” McKinney Jones reflected on his night. “My teammates were just finding me in the right spot.”
“He’s been our best three-point shooter throughout this early season,” Larranaga praised McKinney Jones.
The emphasis tonight was that this is an early victory, not the highlight of the season. The Hurricanes will seek to use this victory as momentum through the season. They know that the relationship with the students is mutual respect.
“Our job as a basketball program is to create school spirit,” concluded Larranaga.
The Hurricanes play next in an away game scheduled for 2 p.m. at the University of Massachusetts.
